


Rory starting over

by Dandalftheblonde



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 08:51:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20423243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dandalftheblonde/pseuds/Dandalftheblonde
Summary: after a rough experience in College, Rory needed to start over and reached out to her father and his family in the hopes that people wouldn't immediately know where to find her





	Rory starting over

Logan!” Rory sighed loudly as Logan fumbled in the kitchen to make a midnight snack while drunk yet again.  
“Stop, you’re making a mess” Rory complained as she pushed him away from the food he had taken out.  
“Come one Ace, let’s go to bed” Logan leered as he once again got distracted, this time by Rory as he pushed her to the bedroom.  
“Not now Logan, just go to bed” Rory demanded as she slowly put all the food away.  
“No Ace, now” Logan demanded more forcefully.  
“Get off me Logan, you’re drunk” Rory snapped as Logan started grabbing at her more insistently.  
“Rory, stop fighting” Logan snapped as he grabbed her violently and forced her to the ground. Rory, in terror and alarm started yelling.  
The next morning Rory woke up naked on the kitchen floor feeling sore and angry.  
“Oh, you’re awake, clean up the mess” Logan ordered as he walked out from his bedroom fully dressed and ready for work.  
“Why did you do that Logan?” Rory cried as she held herself in the corner.  
“Because you weren’t cooperating, now this needs to be clean when I get back, or it’ll happen again” Logan threatened.  
2 months later.  
“Daddy?” Rory whimpered at the door to her Dad’s apartment.  
“Rory, what’s wrong?” Chris asked in alarm as he saw his eldest daughter crying at his door, and gently eased her in.  
“I need to disappear” Rory explained shakily as she fumbled through the kitchen looking for the first aid kit.  
“What happened? Who did that to you?” Chris asked in horror as he saw bruises and gashed all along Rory’s arms.  
“Logan” Rory cried as she dabbed disinfectant to the biggest of her cuts.  
“Here, let me help” Chris offered as he sat her down and started treating her injuries.  
“I need to disappear Dad, change my name, move. I can’t go into journalism now, he’ll find me. Can you get me a spot at Columbia Law?” Rory asked in a daze as she watched her dad wrap a bandage around her arm.  
“Yes, I’ll talk with my dad about getting you his scholarship there. Come on Rory, he’ll also get your name changed under the table. But first you need to rest.” Chris explained as he watched on in anger at the pain and desperation written on his daughter’s face.  
“I love you Daddy” Rory mumbled as she was put up in a makeshift bed.  
“Hi Dad, we have a situation here” Chris whispered over the phone as Rory drifted off to sleep.  
“What is it? You can’t be talking about business” Strobe laughed over the phone.  
“Rory just came home bleeding, she needs to disappear, where Logan can’t find her” Chris explained as he locked himself in his bedroom  
“What happened?” Strobe asked in alarm  
“It doesn’t look pretty, and it’s been going on for some time” Chris explained.  
“Look, I can’t completely give her a new identity without creating a fanfare, but I will do whatever I can to help. She is legally a Hayden, I presume Logan doesn’t know that, use that to her advantage, she doesn’t need to register a change in name that way. Go with Leigh Hayden, all documents and accounts can use that name. Does she know what she wants to do? She can’t go into journalism anymore, she needs a new plan of action” Strobe explained, and Chris could practically see his father drawing up the papers.  
“She wants to study Law at Columbia, stay hidden, I don’t know what then” Chris explained as he peered out his bedroom door to see Rory tossing and turning.  
“That I can do very easily, I can set her up there inconspicuously. I’ll set up a black card for her in her new name. But Chris, she won’t be able to contact Lorelei if she wants to stay safe.” Strobe explained. Broaching the subject fearfully.  
“I think right now she will do anything to stay away” Chris sighed  
5 years later  
“Dad I can’t stay long, this safe house was compromised two hours ago, all the women are in the car. Let mum know I love her and wish Gigi good luck at Harvard” Rory rushed as she packed up her suitcase and got into the passenger seat of an army truck.  
“Go” Rory ordered the soldier next to her as she started reading the map in front of her.  
“Look Ladies, I can get you to our secure base in Dubai in a week, the visas come through tonight, but we need secure transport to get there, and the army are keeping to the no fly law.” Rory explained as she looked back at the terrified women behind her. Half way through her law degree Rory decided she wanted to protect women all over the world from abusive partners family or husbands, so with the credit card her grandfather had given her and with a lot of hard work, she had managed to set up a below radar organisation for safe haven and new lives for these women. By the time she graduated second of her class, she made sure not to top, in the hopes of staying out of the spotlight, she had expanded across Europe and into the Middle East.  
Whenever she could she would go to different places throughout the world to set up new security complexes for these women, any volunteer or staff member had to be thoroughly screen and trusted, so she always made sure to set up these places herself, and appoint the first few members on her own. The rest of the time, she spent defending innocent, and occasionally guilty people, in court while setting up visas and security details for her underground network.  
“Thank you Leigh, we can wait a week, where will we be staying?” One the women asked as she held tightly to her young son.  
“I am organising for separate barracks on base to be emptied for you for the duration of your stay, but I will be there till you board that plane I swear. Once there you will all meet a woman, and she will escort you to the security complex, and we will try to organise new lives for you wherever you want to go” Rory explained as she tried to shake the desert sand out of her clothing.  
“Can I talk to the commanding officer of the base please?” Rory demanded as she held onto her phone while gripping the truck.  
“I need to arrange for barracks for a dozen female refugees, with children” Rory explained matter of factly over the phone, in a tone that no officer has argued with since it was perfected.  
“They should be ready by tonight, and if not I am willing to lend a hand upon my arrival” Rory explained.  
“Good” Rory smiled as she hung up the phone. Over the past couple of months she had found that even muttering the word refugee was a godsend with getting what she needed from the army.  
2 days later.  
“Now anyone willing to share their story is able to share it with our sister refugees around the world, on this secure and private networking program, it is designed to help everyone through what they have experienced and to offer advice where it is needed, and only where it is needed. Whilst in Dubai, though difficult you will all be questioned about the circumstances of one’s previous situation, in order to determine whether or not you just tried to get a free ride out of the country, I know it is hard, and seems offensive, but it is necessary from a legal standpoint, and any objections will be stated directly to the interviewer. However I recommend against it, because they will be conducted by people who have also fled their families, and have built a career for themselves in this field, and whom I trust as volunteers for this network to help all of you here” Rory shouted across the barracks, to a total of 30 people from a total of 10 small villages she had travelled to since arriving in the country.  
“We leave in a few days, due to the increased violence in the area, and the removal of half the military forces in the hopes of some political appeasement. Now enjoy your lunch” Rory explained as she opened up a few vats of soups, fulfilling every dietary request put forward.  
As the women started eating, quietly as they were still adjusting to the relative freedom and safety they were now in, Rory’s phone rang again.  
“Hey Leigh, are you coming home soon?” Chris asked with concern.  
“Hi Dad, yeah, we are being shipped out in a couple days, my work back home starts next Monday” Rory smiled, though she was still getting used to being referred to as Leigh.  
“Yeah, your briefs are already being delivered to your apartment in North Carolina, I got a call from Molly, I think it was?” Chris explained.  
“Ah, yes, I told her she could stay at my place if it helped her, I’ll see you soon though so don’t worry.” Rory smiled  
2 days later.  
“Ladies, I have given you all your supply kits, a phone, emergency cash, a first aid kit and a spare set of clothes, depending on religious beliefs of course, so for those of you worried about breaking any customs don’t fear, I have it covered. As stated before you will meet a women in Dubai who will escort you to safety, and you are free to plan your futures from there” Rory explained as she accompanied the group onto the tarmac as they were loaded onto the plane.  
“Have a safe journey” Rory offered as a goodbye at the steps to the plane.  
“Thank you, for all that you have done for us” The last woman said as she put her foot on the first step towards the plane.  
“Just do something good with your life is all that I ask, don’t let those who hurt you dictate your passions.” Rory smiled in farewell as she walked away.  
“Congratulations, more lives saved” The soldier waiting in the hanger scoffed as Rory made her way inside.  
“What is with the condescension?” Rory snapped as she turned to watch the plane take off.  
“You human rights activists are all the same, do your little bit here and there without staying to see what you’re saving them from.” The soldier motioned around them, as if to emphasise that they were in the middle of a war torn country.  
“You do realise I run an international network to rescue women from abuse, and help support them through life so they never have to be hurt like that again? And then I do it all over again next month because it never ends?” Rory asked after the plane had left.  
As soon as she turned to go an armoured truck raced in with men carrying guns almost spilling out. The first thing that Rory noticed was that they weren’t military.  
“They’re gone, there’s no point!” Rory shouted at them as they pointed their guns while searching for the women who had run away.  
“Shut up Whore!” One man snarled as he bashed her head in, and she dropped like a sack of potatoes. As soon as she was down the whole airport erupted into a mass of bullets and chaos as the intruders were pushed back.  
Half an hour later, once the armoured truck had turned hurtling of and the area had been secured a solider and a medic approached Rory as she stirred.  
“Leigh, can you hear me? Where do you hurt?” The medic asked as the soldier stood there making sure that no one approached.  
“What? Yeah, I’m fine, just a slight headache” Rory groaned as she sat up holding her head.  
“Are the women safe? Is there a report back from the pilot?” Rory demanded as her mind began to clear, though she still had a pounding headache.  
“Latest report says the flight is fine, the wife and son of a Taliban member left with them.” The soldier explained as he turned to look at the woman sitting on the floor as the medic cleaned her head.  
“Mary?” The solider asked in shock and alarm.  
“My name is Leigh, so I believe you are mistaken” Rory grumbled as the medic started to wipe the head wound with disinfectant.  
“Rory Gilmore?” He asked again, remembering himself as he crouched down to look at her with eye level.  
“Who told you that?” Rory asked her eyes wide in terror and shock.  
“Tristan?” Rory asked in confusion as she looked the soldier in front of her in the eye.  
“What are you doing here?” Rory asked as she held an icepack to her head after being patched up.  
“I joined the army, what are you doing here, and why did you say your name was Leigh?” Tristan asked as he smiled at her with surprise shock and happiness.  
“Needed a do over” Rory replied curtly as she struggled to stand up.  
“Are you ok?” Tristan asked with concern as he slowly helped her up.  
“Only pistol whipped by the Taliban, I’ll be over it by the time I get home” Rory muttered as she walked over to the car she came in and grabbed her phone.  
“Hello? They’re in the air, on their way, I had a slight hiccup but everyone is safe” Rory spoke down the phone to her people in Dubai.  
“Rory, what’s going on?” Tristan asked in alarm as he watched her strap on her vest and firearm ready to leave. She refused to wear them in front of the women, in case they got scared, but she almost always carried a gun with her for protection.  
“I run this sort of safe haven organisation for abuse victims, now I need to go, but you need to promise me a few things before I go” Rory explained as she picked up her bag, it was an army issue pack that she used when travelling to active war zones.  
“What?” Tristan asked thoroughly confused.  
“You cannot tell anyone that you saw me, no one we knew, not my family, not yours or your friends, and if you do happened to mention this moment, my name is now Leigh Hayden, got it?” Rory demanded as she swung the pack onto her shoulders with a strength she would not have possessed when they last saw each other.  
“This doesn’t answer anything” Tristan complained.  
“Look, I am hiding from someone, got it? So just pretend like this never happened.” Rory snapped as she got onto another truck, that was heading for the other end of the makeshift airport so that she could get home.  
“Hold it, we just got orders” An officer called over as he held his satellite phone.  
“What orders?” Rory cried in frustration.  
“Due to today’s incident you need to check in with someone every week, at home visit, to guarantee your safety” The officer explained.  
“Ok, I will allow someone to make sure the Taliban doesn’t kidnap me, but it has to be him, I don’t want strangers showing up at my place, every now and then he can visit my apartment in North Carolina see that I am ok, then get back to work, as I shall be doing, as a lawyer, where I will be very busy” Rory snapped while roughly pointing at Tristan to indicate that only he will be allowed near her apartment.  
“Yes Ma’am, you are now free to go home. Soldier, accompany her, I will organise your orders right away, I am sure the senator will be willing to pull some strings to enable this course of action.” The officer explained as he looked down at his phone.  
“So when you say Hayden, like connected to the Senator Hayden?” Tristan asked as he caught up with Rory after being dismissed.  
“Yes, now I have a flight to catch, I have a brief waiting at home and I will not have time to read through it if we don’t hurry up.  
“So, why did you pick me?” Tristan asked as they made it to the plane.  
“This way, you might get some answers and I can guarantee my safety and secrecy” Rory explained as she set up on the plane, with her laptop in front of her as she got on with her work.  
“You spoken to Paris lately?” Rory asked, not once looking up from her laptop.  
“No, I’ve barely spoken to anyone form Hartford since I left” Tristan admitted as he watched Rory carefully.  
“So what are you actually doing at the moment Rory?” Tristan asked as he strapped himself down onto the not very nice seats of a military plane.  
“Like I said before I run this organisation and I’m a lawyer” Rory muttered as she typed furiously on her laptop.  
“What happened to being a journalist?” Tristan pushed as he watched Rory’s head furrow in concentration.  
“That door was closed, I looked into other career options, and now I am here” Rory replied in annoyance as she slammed her laptop shut.  
“What have you been doing since you left then?” Rory demanded as she turned to glare at the person before her as other military personnel boarded the plane.  
“Military school, College then army, nothing really that interesting” Tristan shrugged uneasily as he got used to the look Rory was throwing him.  
“I need to check in with Molly” Rory dismissed as she turned away and picked up her phone.  
“Hi Molly, I’m on my way home, how have you been since I’ve been away?” Rory asked down the phone soothingly, and as Tristan watched he realised anyone would trust Rory in that moment, there was nothing anyone could say that would warrant caution.  
“Is the online schooling working for you?” Rory asked smiling down at the person on the other side of the phone.  
“Well, if you need anything while I’m on my way home don’t hesitate to ask my dad” Rory offered as she said goodbye.  
“Who was that?” Tristan asked as he moved next to her as the plane became slightly busier.  
“Molly, she’s just finishing high school, she can’t go home until the case against her dad is closed and he’s put away” Rory explained quietly as officers and soldiers alike looked over curiously.  
“How has the army been treating you?” Rory asked in the hopes of deflecting the conversation from her work.  
“Well, nothing I can’t handle, I’m pretty sure Paris would be worse than some of the officers in charge of drills here.” Tristan laughed as he loosened his uniform slightly.  
“Paris was a mess in College, you should have seen her when she and Doyle were broken up” Rory laughed at the memory.  
“You sure you’re going to be able to sleep on this plane?” Tristan joked as the plane started moving.  
“Have before, why should now be any different?” Rory asked as she leant back to get comfortable.  
1 day later.  
“Hey Molly, I’m back” Rory called out as she entered her apartment.  
“Oh, hi, your cases are on the table” Molly said as she came out of the kitchen covered in sugar,  
“You been baking?” Rory asked as she progressed through to the table just outside of the kitchen.  
“It’s easier to bake now and do school work later, really gets me ready for bed” Molly joked as she tried icing a batch of cupcakes.  
“Ok, well I’m going to scan through these and then head to the office, make sure to sign in with the den mother this afternoon” Rory reminded Molly as she sat at the table to review her files. The den Mother was like the psychologist for each city, and with Molly staying at Rory’s place under 18 she had to call every few days for a catch up.  
“Great, I have a meeting today” Rory sighed as she read through the files.  
“Yeah, that one came today, it was labelled urgent” Molly commented as she glanced over at Rory.  
2 hours later.  
“Why am I on this case? You know I don’t get assigned to rape cases for a very good reason” Rory snapped as she was escorted around the police station to a holding cell.  
“Ms Hayden, he demanded a Hayden lawyer, and short of calling the firm in Connecticut and waiting a week we made the executive decision to assign you to the case.  
“Ms Leigh Hayden, lawyer for you” The officer introduced as he let Rory into the cell.  
“Look, I didn’t do it, I don’t even know the girl” Finn explained with his head on the table.  
“Finn?” Rory asked in shock, sense not telling her to leave immediately.  
“What?” Finn practically shouted as his head snapped off the table.  
“We thought you were dead” Finn whispered angrily as he turned to see Rory, with her hair dyed red in a pant suit in the doorway.  
“That’s the way I wanted it, and if you value your freedom this has not changed, now to your case” Rory moved on as she sat at the table.  
“The name of the victim?” Rory asked as she looked over the files  
“I don’t know, look I didn’t do it, the girl just pointed the finger at me as soon as someone found her crying and naked on the street.” Finn explained.  
“So you’re pleading not guilty?” Rory asked matter of factly as she continued to read the files.  
“Look, Rory, you know me, I never forced anyone into bed, half the time when I convinced a girl to come home with me I passed out before anything happened” Finn pleaded.  
“Ok, you will need character witnesses, how about DNA evidence, I presume a rape kit was administered” Rory continued.  
“They didn’t really check it as soon as she pointed the finger” The officer in the room explained.  
“That is unprofessional, check the kit, verify alibis and come to me with conclusive evidence before charging him, and if you have the whole case will have to be thrown out, because you didn’t do your job and a rapist walks home free” Rory snapped as she closed the file shut.  
“Leave me to advise my client in private please” Rory demanded as she turned to glare at the police officer.  
“We can’t leave a woman alone with a suspected rapist” The officer explained as he stayed put.  
“I still have the impression of the butt of a gun on the back of my head, so don’t patronise me and allow my client his legal right to council” Rory ordered, not standing down. Grudgingly the officer left.  
“You didn’t go into journalism” Finn commented angrily turning to Rory  
“No, I went into law” Rory replied shortly.  
“We spent months looking for you all across America, Logan went mad looking for you” Finn snapped spitefully across at Rory.  
“Don’t go around saying I wronged you Finn, I haven’t spoken to my mother in 5 years. I just got back from the Middle East, and quite frankly I don’t need your self-righteous bull shit. Get back to the case” Rory snapped as she leant away from Finns accusatory glare.  
“Were you charged?” Rory asked as she looked back down at the very slim case file.  
“Yes, almost immediately” Finn stated.  
“Do you recognise this name?” Rory asked as she wrote on a pad, the last name of the arresting officer.  
“I may have dated a girl with that name before?” Finn suggested unsure.  
“We can get this case thrown out of court, for unprofessionalism and lack of evidence, but I will only do that if you do not mention that you saw me to anyone” Rory explained.  
“Deal” Finn replied in relief.  
“Who was that, the name?” Finn asked curiously as he leant back to stare at Rory curiously  
“Your arresting officer, honestly Finn, were you drunk through the entire ordeal?” Rory sighed in annoyance.  
“Of course I was love” Finn smiled in his very unique way.  
“That is an even stronger case, you have to understand your charges to be given them” Rory explained as she gathered her things up  
“Is Logan here as well?” Rory asked as she stood up putting her papers in her briefcase.  
“Yeah, three stooges reunion” Finn laughed as Rory paled, wanting very badly to retrieve the gun from the police station as reassurance.  
“Why aren’t they here? You came to collect Logan when we got arrested, why leave you out to dry?” Rory asked as she waited by the door.  
“Colin called saying something about Logan knowing the girl” Finn waved off. This unsettled Rory as she left.  
“Excuse me, can I ask who is handling the woman on my case?” Rory asked nervously as she passed the police officers.  
“Why, planning on pressuring her?” One rather butch female officer asked from her desk.  
“No, I don’t need that to win Finn’s case, I want to talk to her, in an unprofessional capacity, can I meet her in a safe house, you can be present, and stop the meeting whenever you wish. Give her my card” Rory explained in her soothing voice as she handed over the card she had for her organisation.  
“Why defend a rapist?” The officer demanded with a scowl as she read the card.  
“I don’t but this was an urgent case, and I believe the woman placed the blame on my client to deflect blame from someone else” Rory justified as she sat with the woman.  
“That snob is a pig, he should be locked up” One officer who joined them scowled.  
“He’s an idiot, sometimes a pig, but he was telling the truth when he said he didn’t do it” Rory explained.  
“Now, I would like to talk to the woman, share my experience with her, in no way would I be pressuring her to retract her story. Most of the time I’m pushing people to tell it” Rory explained as she stood up and adjusted her suit jacket. With that she went to plead her case against the police lawyer and had the charges dropped against Finn.  
“Do you have a licence for this firearm?” The officer at the reception asked as he held her gun in a box behind a window.  
“Yes, with what I do I need to protect myself and those around me, would you like to see my licence?” Rory asked as she stood at the window bored with sharing this story for the millionth time.  
“Ok” The officer shrugged as he pushed the box through the hole in the window for her to collect her belongings.  
As Rory arrived home she undressed from her suit and relaxed on the couch to finish up some work as Molly used the table to do homework. As she got comfortable the buzzer went. In alarm Rory grabbed the gun she kept hidden and cautiously approached the door as Molly crept into a bedroom.  
“Who is it?” Rory asked, not indication the tension in her body through her voice.  
“It’s Tristan” He called from the other side of the door. Sighing with relief Rory relaxed the gun at her side and opened the door.  
“You terrified me” Rory stated as she let him in to her small 2 bedroom apartment. It wasn’t what you would expect of a big time lawyer.  
“So security is great here, I spent the entire afternoon being vetted to have access to the building. How is your head?” Tristan asked as Rory sat on the couch, her sleeveless top revealing her scars. Tristan only just noticed them as he stopped talking.  
“Only a small bump, I’ll be fine, been through worse” Rory shrugged as she took a sip from her glass of water.  
“I can tell” Tristan muttered as he traced the scars on her arm.  
“Curtesy of one ex fiancé, kind of why I started everything. I had the connections to start over, so I wanted everyone else to be able to as well” Rory explained as she glanced down at the focus of his attention.  
The next day.  
“How could you possibly believe I made that story up?” An angry woman screeched at Rory as she entered the living room of a police safe house.  
“I know who did that to you” Rory explained as she glanced at the bandage on her arm.  
“And I did not come here to pressure you, I was going to offer you the support of my organisation, if you wanted it, and to tell you the truth” Rory explained soothingly.  
“How could you possibly understand what I have been through?” The woman cried as she collapsed onto one of the chairs across from Rory.  
“Because Logan did the exact same thing to me for 2 months straight” Rory confessed  
“Liar, Logan never mentioned knowing a Leigh Hayden” The woman spat at her.  
“No, but he and his friends believed a Rory Gilmore to be dead” Rory divulged as she gave the woman a picture of her and Logan at the life and death brigade.  
“What are you talking about?” The woman asked as she started to calm down.  
“I help women set up new lives after suffering abuse, like my family helped me disappear 5 years ago” Rory explained  
“I want you to feel free to visit this address if every you feel unsafe, you can change your story to the police if you feel you can, but please only tell the truth about rape, I have to help women every day who are scared people won’t believe them” Rory pleaded.  
“How am I supposed to believe he raped you?” The police woman asked unsure as she sat back. Breathing in Rory unzipped her jacket she was wearing to reveal the scars on her arms.  
“These were what I left with 5 years ago” Rory exhaled as she watched the women before her examine the scars.  
“That was all I wanted to talk about today” Rory explained as she stood up.  
“The address, what is it?” The woman before her asked.  
“It’s a safe haven, a completely secure apartment complex where those who need it can stay” Rory explained with a half-smile down at the scared woman before her  
1 month later  
“I can’t believe you two are graduating” Rory squealed as she stood before Gigi and Molly in their uniforms ready for their high school graduation. As the girls gathered their things ready to leave the bell rang.  
“It’s probably Dad with the coffee for the flight” Rory smiled as she headed for the door, picking up the Taser on the way just in case.  
“Hi Mary, just here for your check-up. Do you know how much paperwork I had to fill in to get access to this building?” Tristan joked as he walked in.  
“This isn’t even as secure as some of my security complexes, you weren’t randomly strip searched” Rory laughed as she threw the Taser onto the table near the kitchen.  
“How many people have you helped to warrant this much security?” Tristan asked in disbelief.  
“The counter is up to 2345 in America alone, across the globe we don’t keep track due to security, some places are so touchy about helping women flee abusive husbands, then there’s the disobeying the father issue, but what can you do?” Molly sighed, as she glanced at the counter on Rory’s laptop.  
“We can’t help everyone, but those we can we help a lot” Rory justified as Tristan looked on astounded.  
“Come on, this is the first time you will have been back home since the court was closed, we can’t miss our own graduation” Gigi laughed as she rushed everyone out the door.  
“Well, the apartment is secure, you can join us if you want” Rory laughed as Tristan was pulled along as well.  
2 hours later.  
“Have you prepared your speech?” Molly asked Gigi as they waited in the blacked out car with Rory.  
“What speech?” Rory asked as she paused her conversation with her grandfather.  
“She’s valedictorian” Molly squealed in excitement.  
“Oh! I am so proud” Rory laughed as she pulled Gigi into a hug.  
“Come on we need to find our seats” Molly giggled as they exited the car.  
“You girls go make me proud!” Rory laughed as they rushed into Chilton laughing.  
“So, why was Molly staying with you in North Carolina?” Tristan asked as he climbed out of the car awkwardly.  
“Her father was being charged with her rape, she felt safer with me” Rory explained quietly as they found their seats in a back corner.  
“Hey, you finally get to attend a Chilton graduation” Rory joked as she spotted Molly and Gigi take their seats up the front.  
“I have a surprise for you later” Chris whispered in his daughter’s ear as he took a seat next to her.  
“If you plan on going commando to steal some food I shall be satisfied” Rory smiled  
“Shh, it’s starting” Tristan whispered as father and daughter laughed. Rory bit down on her laugh and listened intently to the ceremony.  
“Now for the valedictorian speech” Headmaster Charleston introduced.  
“I would like my best friend Molly to join me up here” Gigi started.  
“We would both like to than the school for their continued support, in allowing us to excel in our schooling, but today, I would like to thank my sister for being an example of what it is like to succeed and also thrive under the hardest of circumstances. She helped Molly and me through so much, and she has been our inspiration over the last few years of what a true Chilton Graduate should be able to attain. Though I don’t think anyone would recommend I follow exactly in her footsteps, she has shown me how our school values can be upheld in any way of life, whether it is with helping those who are in pain, or striving for excellence in the workforce. Chilton has become such a constant in my life for the past few years, but so has she and I thank Chilton for making her the way it did, and that it could do that for me too. I am proud to represent my classmates this year, and to have Molly here with me too, to show how hard work and honesty pay off. Thank you” Gigi spoke clearly to the entire crowd. Half way through a group of three snuck in, and onto chairs that were saved for them in the middle row. But as Gigi concluded her speech the entire hall applauded.  
“I need to go and congratulate her” Rory smiled as she made her way up to the stage as everyone gathered to leave.  
“Gigi!” Rory shouted through the crowd as she weaved through them. Suddenly a vice like grip encircled her upper arm and pulled her to the right.  
“What on earth do you think you are doing?” Rory demanded as she was turned to face none other than Logan Huntzburger.  
“What are you doing here?” Rory asked with her eyes widened in fear.  
“Tristan, get her out of there!” Gigi yelled across the room to Tristan, who was in his uniform today, as he leant against the wall.  
“What am I doing here, what are you doing here?” Logan demanded in anger.  
“Honestly son, what are you so riled up about?” Mitchum asked from behind Logan, but as soon as he turned around and saw Rory, his frown set on his face.  
“What on earth are you doing here you gold digging whore?” Mitchum snapped as Rory tried to wrestle her arm free.  
“Let go of me” Rory demanded as Logan still wouldn’t let go of her arm.  
“Use your Taser” Molly shouted as she saw the situation from the stage with Gigi,  
“We’re in a crowd” Rory snapped as suddenly Logan was ripped from her arm.  
“I realise I am supposed to check up on your safety, but I didn’t realise it would come from a trust fund brat” Tristan sighed as he held onto Logan’s arm similarly to what Logan was doing to Rory before, but with a lot more force behind it.  
“Thank you Tristan, I would like you to meet the inspiration behind my organisation.” Rory exhaled as she tried to straighten up.  
“So you stole from my son as well?” Mitchum fumed as he tried to gain some sort of control in the situation here.  
“No, I had no reason to, so get your nose back into your own business” Rory snapped as she walked to the stage to hug her sister, and Molly who was having a minor melt down.  
“Ms Hayden asked you to leave I believe” Tristan commented as he leant to the side to address Mitchum directly while still blocking Tristan from moving.  
“Come on Colin, let’s go talk to her” Finn prompted as he saw that Tristan was only concerned with keeping Logan away.  
“I believe they are having a private morning tea, Chris had a surprise for Leigh” Tristan explained.  
“Are you suggesting that, Rory is one of the fasted growing prominent lawyer in North Carolina?” Mitchum asked as he put the two names together rather quickly.  
“It doesn’t matter. I believe you need to resolve some issues so park yourself in a classroom, I might persuade Rory that you are less of a danger than the Taliban” Tristan muttered as he turned to leave.  
“Come on let’s get coffee” Rory sighed as she led Gigi and Molly through the hallowed halls of Chilton.  
“Surprise Rory” Chris cheered as Rory walked into the room to reveal Lorelei, Paris, Emily and Richard. All Rory could do in response was run and cry into her mother’s arms.  
“Logan was here” Molly explained matter of factly from the edge of the room as Rory carried on, with her mother trying very hard to sooth her daughter as tears escaped from her own eyes.  
“Can someone please explain why Rory just showed up after 5 different personal investigators couldn’t find her for 5 years” Emily demanded in shock as she saw her granddaughter.  
“She ran away from Logan, he hurt her. She’s a lawyer now, and she helps people” Molly tried to explain, with all the gratitude and admiration for Rory making her voice shake.  
“He’s still here, I thought it would be a good idea for you to talk to him” Tristan explained as he walked in, leading Finn and Colin.  
“What did Logan do to you Love?” Finn asked as they stood awkwardly by the wall.  
“Why don’t I show you?” Rory asked as she unbuttoned her shirt to reveal the singlet beneath and the scars all along her arms.  
“I know you are trying really hard not to make a stripper comment Tristan, so just keep it to yourself.” Rory mumbled in his general direction.  
“Am I missing anything here?” Paris asked as she gestured between the two.  
“I met him after falling unconscious overseas” Rory shrugged as Paris looked on confused.  
“That’s one way of putting it, considering I am now your military liaison for if you get in trouble” Tristan laughed.  
“What is he talking about Rory?” Lorelei asked in horror and confusion.  
“I may have rescued the family of a Taliban member, I need surveillance and protection” Rory shrugged as she leant on her mother again.  
“That is putting it lightly” Tristan grumbled.  
“So, went into law, and started up a safe haven organisation, how has everyone else been?” Rory asked, in typical fashion to deflect attention away from herself.  
“Luke and I got married” Lorelei piped up.  
“Went into medicine, and your grandparents made up” Paris stated.  
“I need to go talk to him don’t I?” Rory asked in annoyance as she glanced over at Tristan.  
“Yeah, have you talked to Jenifer about charging him?” Tristan asked as Rory stood up straight.  
“She’s up for it, the rape kit is still there, and she just needs to approach the police.” Rory explained as she left the room.  
“Rory, we are not letting you out of our sight again” Lorelei stated as they all followed her.  
“Hi” Rory mumbled as she found Logan waiting in a classroom with his father.  
“I don’t think you should talk to each other without a lawyer present” Mitchum quipped in annoyance as Rory sat down, followed by her family and friends.  
“There are three” Colin stated, as Strobe followed in after them.  
“Three?” Mitchum asked.  
“Me, Strobe, and Rory” Colin elaborated.  
“Fine” Mitchum snapped.  
“Why did you leave Ace?” Logan asked as if the topic pained him.  
“Why do you think Logan? Do you recognise the scars?” Rory snapped.  
“If you are accusing him of anything, the statute of limitations is up, you have been gone for 5 years” Mitchum explained, after glancing at Strobe in the hopes that he would intervene with legal counsel.  
“I have known for a while that I would never gain the courage to go to the police about what happened, that is why I am so proud of Molly. But this is what I refer to as closure meetings. You hurt me, and you will pay for it, but right now I need to look you in the eye and tell you that you did not destroy me” Rory explained as she maintained eye contact.  
“Look, Rory, if this is because of what I said regarding the internship, Logan did not ruin your career choices, and if he hurt you, it is in the past, and you can’t do anything about it. Plus Strobe here is one of the best lawyers I know, he would get Logan off” Mitchum stated with self-confidence.  
“Would you?” Rory asked turning to her grandfather  
“No, but I would be willing to put him there” Strobe stated with a venom lacing his voice.  
“Strobe, what has got into you, defending this whore over your most loyal clients?” Mitchum asked in alarm.  
“I don’t regard my granddaughter as a whore, and I believe at least 2 people in this room are licenced to carry a gun, so it would be best if you shut up” Strobe commented.  
“Who in here is carrying a gun?” Logan asked in fear as he looked up at Tristan practically shaking.  
“I am” Rory stated as she stared right at Logan with confidence.  
“What?” Logan choked in horror.  
“Well, with violent disgruntled family members I need to defend myself and those I have helped” Rory explained in a too sweet voice.  
“Oh, and you should be hearing from Jenifer very soon” Rory smiled as she stood up to leave.  
“Who is Jenifer?” Logan and Mitchum asked simultaneously.  
“Oh, the lovely woman you assaulted a month or so back, the one whom statute of limitations doesn’t affect, there is even DNA evidence, oh how I wish I was able to prosecute you” Rory sighed dramatically as she pretended to faint on Tristan.  
“That fell like closure?” Tristan laughed as everyone left.  
“Yes” Rory smiled happily as she linked arms with him.  
“Oh, and if you are too thick to figure this out, since it means so much to you, Rory is richer than you, and her empire, though to help people and not for profit is much larger and influential than your newspapers” Colin explained as he closed the doors on Logan and Mitchum.


End file.
